A pensioner suffered a fractured hip after his electric bike was involved in a car smash on a pelican crossing.

The 80-year-old from Gosforth, Newcastle, who has not been named, was on an electric bike crossing the Great North Road, Gosforth, near Hollywood Avenue, at 12.10pm yesterday. He was hit by a BMW Five Series driven by a 54-year-old man from Cramlington.

A police spokesman said: "The bike rider suffered a fractured hip and was taken to Newcastle General Hospital."